This is kind of a part 2 thing. To those with the factory grille mounted driving lights, are they worth it? I hate doing any electrical work and am not willing to try any local garages. I've sold parts to them and don't trust their work. I called Otto's and they quoted me $825, parts and labor. Its a lot but 1, they look hella sweet and I live in deer country so on those dark mornings, you know. Oh, and one other question, can the factory lights be controlled seperately from a switch along with being wired into the headlights?

 

I bought the factory driving lights with my car when it was new. The lights are powerful, although I have no experience with other aftermarket lights which may be more powerful. I basically bought them for the look as I rarely am in a traffic free area where I can use the driving lights.

With the factory installation, there is a switch to "arm" the driving lights, and the driving lights come on using the high beam switch. The high beams and driving lights do not come on simultaneously. I'm sure you can wire the driving lights so they work independently from the high beams. However, there may be some legal ramifications with your local DPS by doing so. High beams and driving lights is alot of light to throw at oncoming traffic.

 

The factory driving lights DO come on with the high beams, and shut back off when you go to the low beams. The driving lights and the high beams are on at the same time. That all assumes that you have pressed the arming button. The button defaults to "off" when you start the car. Having the driving lights on but not the high beams would be pointless, at least from a functionality standpoint.

While some aftermarket driving lights are probably superior, the factory lights DO make an obvious difference. It's easy to tell, just by turning on the high beams and then arming and disarming the driving lights.

I spend much of the winter months driving back and forth to work on rural highways with litle traffic, and the driving lights and xenons were worth it for me. I'd do it again.

Scott
90SM

 

Seems like its worth it. Its a lot of $$$ but like I said, I'm in deer country and crappy weather is always close in PA.

 

I have the eom driving lights and love them. I mainly bought them for the looks, but I do use them occasionaly on dark twisty roads. They were well worth the cost.

 

The OEM driving lights are a good, if expensive option (esp. with dealer install!)
The installation isn't all that challenging (aka should be less than $400!) if you find a competent shop (I did DIY) - are you near Helix?

 

Have you considered our lamp kit? Might be a better choice. Reasonable price, inexpensive to replace lenses, etc. etc. Let me know if I can answer any questions about the kit.

ALTA KIT HERE!

adam@altaminiperformance.com

 

Your kit is rediculous. I've seen it in person and it is beastly. But, 1 for me its overkill and 2, I live in the US pothole capital: Pennsylvania. Those lights sit a little too low for my liking on my roads.

 

I live in PA as well, and honestly I never use my lights. They do work great, but due to traffic where I live I really never get a chance to turn them on for more than 20 seconds. Also the quality isn't that great, mine are starting to rust through on the bottom and nuts are rusted to the stems that are used for mounting, so now they are loose & I can't tighten them. I have to get a dremel tool & cut the nuts off, it's a project I have beeen procrastinating on for the past 6 months.

 

Eeeh, if I get them, I'll just drive with them and low beams on. Cops around my area don't seem too douchey about stuff like that. If they do, I'll swap the bulbs for yellow lights and call them fog lights.

 

Please do NOT DO THIS.
It's not about cops being 'douchey', it's about blinding other drivers which is rude at best and dangerous at worse. White or yellow, DRIVING LIGHTS cast a whole lot of light straight ahead, not wide and low like fog lights. If you want fog lights, get fog lights. Your fellow motorists will appreciate it.

 

Ridiculous? OUCH!

Hey no issue if you choose something else, but we do offer clear lens covers that can be installed all the time, will put up with most stone chips etc.
It is a serious kit for serious users. BUT I take no exception to the fact you may choose something else but I did take exception to the ridiculous comment. May have been in jest but never can tell!

Good luck! Thanks again!

adam@altaminiperformance.com

 

Yeah, you're right. But, being 21 going on 22, I have many a late night and they would get used fairly often.
That "rediculous" was meant in a good way. Like if I was to say that kit is "sick nasty". Also good. If I wanted to say I didn't like them, I'd use the term "foul". But, still sweet. I saw a MCS with your light bar at a rally over the summer and it was awesome!

 

THANK YOU! I appreciate it!

Adam

 

I've got lights that low and I'll tell ya that there ain't no pothole big enough to cause issues with those lights. In fact they help illuminate the road to avoid potholes. Where I'm at they have roads that shouldn't even be called roads.
I think you're probably looking for something more along those lines anyhow. Something you can blast on to do a "deer check" rather than just on with the high beams. I've got something similar set up and can click them on anytime with any lights. Factory bonnet lights are ok, but not as good as the Hellas.

FWIW hooking up aftermarket is pretty easy. One power to the fusebox under the hood (one bolt). T-Tap into one hot lead (your choice of three, just ask) . One ground under the hood (hole by radiator). Feed wire through exposed grommet under hood (don't even have to bend over to see it). One ground under dash ( exposed screw upper left under dash). Plug in switch. Done.
Check and see if a local shop will do it for you.

 

I have two Hella 500 driving lights mounted on my MCS. Saturday night I did about a 100 miles of back road driving & they were absolutely great. They really do light up the night. I have them switched with my high beams so I don't blind other traffic. Outmotoring has designed a new bracket so you can mount two instead of four. I've mounted mine higher than the ALTA bracket allows.

 

I got them installed when I picked up the car. Usually have the covers on them and have only used them a handful of times. Now I am not even sure I like the way they look. Would not do them again, that there is sway bar and lowering springs money!

TJM

 

I have an R56, so we're talking apples and some other variety of apples, but I love the factory driving lights. I commute on twisty mountain roads, and run xenon high beams plus driving lights when I can. I've never had so much light.

 

For you R56 owners that want other than factory lights. Outmotoring has some very well made brackets you can put Hella's on.

http://www.outmotoring.com/mini-coop..._brackets.html

 

Thanks for the heads up but I loathe electrical work. I'm willing to put in a battery and maybe swap an alternator on a car, but thats it. I hate splicing, running wires, blah blah blah. I know it can't be bad but electricity is not something I can just reach out and grab. Well, without getting jolted. I'll leave any wiring up to someone who is getting paid to do it.

 

I have the Alta set-up and ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! They even took care of me when my first bar(been on car for 6 months) had all of the finish rust off! I talked to them and they had me send it in and shipped me a brand new one, so far so good, been on the car for a few months now, well see after winter hits.
I HIGHLY recomend it!

 

I found that I used the driving lights VERY infrequently. Maybe 10 times in the 2 years that I owned my R53. That being said, I thought that they looked great! So to answer your question, it all depends on what you mean by "worth it".

 

I use mine all the time, as I live in an area with a high deer population and drive a lot at night. That said, I'd say they were worth every penny I spent on them. I also have fogs, which work almost as well as the driving lights, especially when I want a spread out pattern [to help evade those wandering deer].

 

Yes driving lights are a wonderful thing when you need them. Those factory fogs on the other hand well & truly suck.

 

The factory fogs are nice if you want to be seen without getting blasted by someone's high beams, but, as Chuck said, they do not throw out enough light to really help at night. Now, if the fog is real bad, I guess they would be better than nothing, but, I'd go with an aftermarket fog or driving light kit to be on the safe side.